A Twist in Fate
by MsMaeve18
Summary: What happens if it was Damon who returned to mystic falls first? Can they survive a blast from the past or will they have to run forever? Rated M for smut/violence. AU
1. The Fog

The fog drifted through the cemetery, caressing the tombstones like a doting lover. The seemingly breathing, living essence settled around the frame of a young girl, sinking through her clothes, causing her to shiver through to her core. She frowned into the pages of her diary, visibly agitated at the sudden change. She stood, picking up her purse and stuffing her green leather journal into the bag before running towards her waiting car on the edge of the woods. The repeated caw of a crow forced her into a sprint. Once she reached safety, she quickly opened the door and sped away from the cemetery.

Damon smiled as he remembered their first meeting. He often teased her for running from a crow and something as harmless as fog. He hadn't meant to scare her; he only wanted a taste of the town that used to be oh so familiar. While Mystic Falls was home, he knew that change had reached the sleepy town during his forty-year absence. The town rested while Damon continued to tour the world, alone and lonely. His last visit resulted in utter chaos: he had tortured Stefan until the carnage became impossible to hide. He left, leaving his brother to deal with the damage. But his investigations proved the town had recovered and returned to the quiet, peaceful town initially intended by the founding families. The town had progressed, it had healed, and Damon felt inclined to stay for a while. Once he saw her face, once he felt her soul through the fog, his decision was final.

He stepped away from the window, bringing his mind back to the present as he pulled the curtain closed to block the rising sun's rays, protecting the sleeping woman who lay in his bed. He poured himself his fourth glass of scotch before sitting on the antique chair hidden in the corner of his room. He watched his conquest as she slept, listening to the sound of her slowly beating heart and rhythmic breathing. It faltered. His brow furrowed. She sighed and turned, her breathing resuming its proper course. Perhaps he had taken too much blood from his willing victim. He gulped the whiskey before returning to bed, gathering his prey into his arms as he fell into an intoxicated daze.

"Damon, wake up…" She whispered as she kissed his neck, slowing working her way towards the back of his ear. She frowned, as the only sign of life from the undead was a slight twitch of his eyelids. "Please?"

He lunged at her, pinning her underneath him on the bed, causing a short, surprised scream to escape Elena's lips.

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**_Author's Note: _**Don't worry, lovelies. The smut is coming, and quickly!

Please please please review! They are like hearts, and unicorns, and everything love.


	2. The Glimpse

**_RECAP: __He lunged at her, pinning her underneath him on the bed, causing a short, surprised scream to escape Elena's lips._**

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Elena, recovering from her shock, giggled as Damon's blue eyes pierced her own. Her many reactions always intrigued him. Her eyes had widened in momentary terror, her heart quickened the pace with which it beat blood through her veins. He watched as her eyes then changed to reflect her amusement and enjoyment at her newfound position. It only took seconds for the changes to occur but he relished each of them as each displayed a facet of the woman he adored. Elena, used to Damon's silent stare, said nothing, simply accepting and acknowledging him. He kissed her gently before lying beside her. She moved towards him, placing her head and hand on his bare chest. "Why didn't you sleep last night?" She looked up, matching his gaze with one just as intense. He felt the worry behind the question, could feel it on her breath as it escaped her lips. After their many months on the run, the slightest hint of trouble always brought the same concerned tone to her voice.

"I was remembering the first time we met." He smiled, reassuring her. Each morning he woke up next to Elena seemed more surreal than the last. She always looked so peaceful sleeping next to him: her brown hair cascading across her pillow, her face relaxed and free from all signs of stress and worry. He found it hard to believe that she loved him so ardently, that she loved him enough to risk her life for him. But she had, again and again, and continued to stay with him as they fled Mystic Falls by travelling across the country, staying in hotels and old abandoned houses, until finally, after a six month absence, they had returned to the boarding house in Mystic Falls. She had waited patiently as he hunted and never ran from the bloody, sated vampire who returned. Instead she had charged him passionately, her worry and love pouring into him as she devoured him, assuring him of her love. The two memories blurring in his mind as he forced himself back to the present. Lately he found it increasingly difficult not to retreat into his recent memories. Memories of he and Elena before they both had to run for their lives, the time when their relationship was in its tender beginning stages. Memories of her caring for him while they were running. The memory of the day she had promised to be with him, no matter the cost.

"Damon? I'm here with you. I always will be. Forever" He pulled her closer to him and sighed with contentment. "Tell me again what it was like that day in the cemetery." She settled into his body, tracing the muscles of his chest with her finger.

He began settling into memory that had held him captive that morning, reliving that day for both of them. He closed his eyes, picturing it, before he began to recount the story.

He had arrived just that morning and the boarding house had seemed untouched as he entered it. His room, the farthest corner of the large mansion, looked exactly as it did the day he had left Stefan with thirteen corpses on his hands. He cringed when he mentioned that detail, but Elena motioned for him to continue by looking up at him expectantly, waiting for the next part. He had sat in the plush, now antique chair, the same from which he watched Elena sleep during the present morning, and had poured his power both into the fog and the crow. He often used that method, both for practicality and for theatrical effect. The fog allowed him to sense things in both the natural and the supernatural realms, while seeing through the eyes of a crow allowed him the sharp, crisp image of the cemetery he had chosen to explore. As he shifted from headstone to headstone, urging the fog onward, a wave of sadness crashed into his senses, nearly breaking his control. He searched for its source, and found a young woman crying into her diary as she leaned against a grave. His reaction to her surprised him; he wanted to offer her comfort. He wanted to _hug_ her. His helplessness aggravated him, but he could do nothing. She looked scared and ran, but he couldn't help it, he had to follow her, had to know her despite the risk. He released his hold on the crow as she fled in her car. He stood from the chair, determined to seek her out in the town that very day.

"I was so scared. It felt like some one was trying to pry into mind." Elena interrupted and Damon opened his eyes.

"I was. But I was also trying to come up with a diabolical plan to meet you. It's not like I could enroll in high school. God that would be terrible." He shuddered to exaggerate his contempt for the idea.

"So you stalked me until you came up with a plan." Elena smiled, enjoying the chance to tease him.

"Well, you didn't know I was stalking you. My plan was brilliant. Flawless, even." The look of self-satisfaction that often graced his features emerged.

"Of course." She kissed him, tenderly at first, but Damon's passionate response escalated the kiss and their lips met hungrily. She opened her mouth to invite him to taste her and moaned as his tongue touched hers. Damon groaned as she placed her hands on his sides. His hands moved from cupping her face to the hem of her t-shirt and he broke their kiss as he pulled it over her head. He hovered over her, appreciating her delicate body before he began to place lingering kisses across her now exposed chest. Her nipples hardened from the cold air and Damon placed his mouth over one of the soft mounds, flicking and sucking the peak with his tongue. Elena moaned and reached her hands into Damon's hair as he massaged her other breast. He could smell how she was already wet for him and he smiled into her stomach as his mouth travelled to her center. He pulled off her underwear and pajama pants with one quick motion before plunging his tongue into her. She gasped as his tongue caressed her and his fingers toyed with her bundle of nerves, increasing her pleasure. He licked her vaginal lips before bringing his tongue to her clitoris, licking and sucking as he inserted a finger into her wet opening. Elena's hips bucked, and she gasped again before moaning his name in enjoyment. Her head fell back with pleasure and she moaned his name once again as he inserted another finger, beckoning her body towards its blissful state by tapping her g-spot. He could feel her excitement and sensed her body's proximity to orgasm: she was panting and her face was flushed. The closeness of the blood to the surface of her skin combined with the way she was exposed to him made him weak in the knees. He removed his mouth and fingers before quickly discarding his boxers. Elena moaned again, both in frustration as he moved from her and in anticipation as she saw his hard member.

"Elena, tell me you want me," He demanded of his lover, searching her eyes for the extent of her desire.

"Oh, Damon. I want you. Inside of me. Now." Her breathlessness caused her reply to come in short, broken pants.

Her admission nearly tipped him over the edge. He entered her and moaned into her neck as he felt her tightness surround him. Elena cried out his name as he thrust into her and she wrapped her legs around his hips. The scent of her arousal and the nearness of his teeth to her jugular sparked his vampiric transformation. Damon's sharp fangs pierced her neck, bringing both of them towards oblivion. He continued thrusting as he drank from her and her nails dug into his back, drawing blood as she dragged them downward. Damon moaned again, causing them both to reach orgasm. "Ohhh, Damon! Damon!" Elena cried. Damon groaned in ecstasy as the pleasure in her blood washed over his teeth and down his throat. He collapsed on her frame, his teeth and member still connected to her body. Elena sighed in contentment and slowly Damon retracted his fangs and left her opening. He rested beside her and waited several moments before he spoke, "Elena, I love you.

"I love you too." The look she gave him was one of pure adoration. Not once did she regret her decision to be with him, although it had damned them both.

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**_Author's Note: _**Ok, so as you can tell, I'm kind of playing with the time line. But don't worry, you'll find out who's after them and how they met soon, I promise. I'm just starting the story in the middle, so we have to go back a bit as we're going forward. This is my first time writing lemons so tell me what you guys think!

Also, reviews are like candy, love, and chocolate chips, so please please please review!


	3. The Tree

_**One year ago…**_

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Elena joined Caroline on the porch of the Lockwood mansion. "Thank God you're out here, Caroline. I'm trying to hide from Tyler's mother. I know she has a laundry list of things for me to do today."

"I know what you mean. I've been out here tying the bows on these stupid ribbons for centerpieces." Caroline made a disgusted face as she pointed to the large heap of untied ribbons. "The rest of this is going to take all day. Oh well, at least it's an escape from my mother."

Elena breath caught in her throat as she remembered her own mother. "I wish my mom were here. She loved these events and I loved helping her with them."

"I'm so sorry, Elena." Caroline wrapped her arms around her friend, offering her the comfort she knew was needed, although Elena would never admit it. She pulled back and grabbed Elena's hands. "Today is going to be amazing. And this party is going to kick ass. We'll make sure of it." She smiled and Elena smiled back.

"Thanks, Caroline." While the two friends had their differences, Elena knew that their friendship ran just as deep as the bond between family members. These kinds of moments made up for Caroline's often tactless statements.

"Elena, sweetie, I think Caroline can handle this job. Please come with me and I'll explain to you what I want you to do." Mrs. Lockwood returned back inside and Elena turned to follow her after rolling her eyes. Caroline giggled as Elena made her way inside the house, stopping to meet Mrs. Lockwood in the foyer. "Now, I have something special for you to do. I know that the Salvatores have several artifacts that they could loan for Founder's Day. Damon already committed to some old documents, but if you see anything else of interest, tell me so I can request them. It's for the good of the town you know."

"Yes, Mrs. Lockwood, I know. I'll go get them now." Elena was thrilled at the chance to escape the tedious preparations for a chance to meet the town's newest, practically unknown, resident.

Elena drove up to the Salvatore boarding house slowly, unsure of what to expect as she had never before been inside. For years it had sat abandoned and Elena couldn't remember the last time some had lived there, much less when a Salvatore had lived in Mystic Falls. They were one of the founding families, but for some reason none of them had an interest in staying in the small town. As the large mansion greeted her, the worry in the pit of her stomach grew. The new Salvatore, Damon, made everyone nervous, even the formidable Sherriff Forbes. While he had moved to Mystic Falls a month ago, Elena, along with most of the town's citizens, hadn't seen him. She had no explanation for the unmistakable feeling of dread as she walked from her car to the door. She sighed, putting aside her irrational fear. Founder's Day had been important to her mother and before her mother's death it used to be of utmost importance to Elena. While the loss of her mother had changed things, she was still determined to make the day a success, if only for her mother's memory. If she needed to fetch some family heirlooms from the Salvatores, so be it. She only needed to ask for the documents and she would leave as quickly as possible. Satisfied with her plan, she rang the doorbell. As the heavy wooden door opened, her mouth fell slack.

_Oh my God, he's beautiful. _His presence startled her. No one had told her how devastatingly handsome he was, how his blue eyes seemed to penetrate her false pretense of courage. He was the most attractive man she had ever seen.

"Can I help you?" Damon struggled to remain calm, but the way she stared at him made him weak in the knees. _Jesus Damon, pull yourself together. For God's sakes, she's just a girl. _He had known she was coming, but nothing could prepare him for her arrival on his doorstep. Organizing a meeting with Elena seemed almost too simple. Compelling Mrs. Lockwood had been easy; he simply told her to send Elena to pick up the papers. He hadn't been entirely pleased with his plan, but after a month of waiting he had lost all semblance of patience. He desired her in every way possible. While she was the most seductive creature he had ever seen, he wanted to get to know her more than anything else, perhaps the greatest surprise out of all his unusual responses to her. In 145 years, Damon had never taken the time to get to know anyone.

"H- Hi. I'm here to pick up the documents for Mrs. Lockwood." The words spilled out of Elena's mouth so quickly that if Damon weren't a vampire, he would have had trouble understanding.

"Sure. Please, come in. I'm Damon." He opened the door for her and gestured towards the parlor.

"I'm Elena." She stepped in and introduced herself, unsure of what else to say.

Damon nodded his head in acknowledgment. "I have to go into the library to get them. Follow me." As they walked towards the library, Elena couldn't help but gawk at his house. The sheer volume of antiques amazed her; everything looked as if it had been handed down through the generations. She couldn't find anything that looked new, no matter how hard she tried.

"Don't ever invite Mrs. Lockwood to your home. I think she would want to empty it and use everything for the Founder's Day display." Elena smiled as a laugh escaped from Damon's lips.

"I'm sure she would. As it is, the display only gets a copy of the deed from the original Salvatore mansion and the logs detailing the daily goings on of the Salvatore estate." He handed her the bag of carefully sealed and protected documents. "She wanted some of my mother's jewelry, but I wouldn't give that up."

"Your mother's…?" Elena responded in confusion.

A slight frown passed through Damon's face so quickly Elena thought she had imagined it. "They were passed down to her," He lied. "They're jewels from the civil war era, when the Salvatores first came to Mystic Falls."

"That's fascinating. May I see them?" The question surprised Elena as she asked it, but she knew her time with the mysterious man was coming to a close and she wished to prolong it. Her original plan of leaving quickly had fallen apart the moment she saw his gorgeous face.

Her interest pleased him but unfortunately he would have to disappoint her. "I'm sorry. They're all locked away and I don't have access to them."

"Oh. Ok. Well, I guess I should go then. I have to go home." She slowly started walking towards the library door.

"I'll walk you out." Damon led her to the doorstep, where they both hesitated. Their eyes met as the both stood there, unmoving. Damon leaned down and cupped her face with his hands. His lips met hers, softly as first before Elena kissed him back with unexpected fervor. The intensity of the kiss surprised them both and Elena broke their lips apart quickly. They looked at one another, speechless, each taking in the reaction they felt when their lips touched.

"I… I have to go." Elena stuttered, before running from the door. Damon stared after her, unable to comprehend what had just happened. He had kissed hundreds, maybe even thousands of girls, and his body had reacted to none of them the way it had with Elena. The connection to her penetrated his usual aloofness and he found himself touching his lips in remembrance of the slight spark Elena's mouth had given him. He pursed his lips as an expression of sheer confusion settled over his features. He had to see more of her, even if it were to be from a distance. He decided to follow her home, curious to see what her reaction to him would be. He ran with vampiric speed to her house and settled in the tree outside her window. He felt like a typical peeping tom and shook his head in disgust with himself. He dismissed the thought as he saw Elena enter her room, his curiosity quashing any of his qualms in regards to his current position.

Elena ran to her room from her car and her heart pounded loudly against her chest. Damon was a total stranger and yet when he kissed her she felt as if she had known him for all eternity, as if her soul had reached completion. It frightened her. She collapsed on her bed, realizing another emotion had flared to life within her because of the kiss: arousal. The two carnal emotions fought for dominance inside her mind until finally she succumbed to the pulsating urge to reach satisfaction. She got up, locked her door, and settled back into bed. As she reached her right hand under the covers, Damon's eyes widened in shock.

Elena closed her eyes, preparing for the sweet journey to orgasm. No man had moved her as Damon had and her sudden ravenous desire for him overwhelmed her senses. As her fingertips reached her wetness, her breath quickened. She began to rub herself in small circles as thoughts of Damon swirled in her head. She bit her lip as she continued, imagining Damon's hands instead of her own.

Damon watched as Elena pleasured herself. She was truly beautiful, especially in such a state of disarray. It was torturous. As small drops of sweat appeared on her brow, anguish flooded through him and action was inevitable. He closed his eyes and sought out her mind with his, inundating it with images of himself.

Elena gasped as her imagination filled with new fantasies. The sensation of her own fingertips melted away and she could practically feel Damon's fingertips massaging her clitoris and kneading her breast. Her fantasies shifted from quick, insatiable touches of lust to slow, loving gestures as Damon placed his desires into her. Through her mind, Damon began to bring her closer to paradise by increasing the pace of her fingers. "Damon…" Elena moaned his name, almost bringing Damon over the edge with her. Her wetness increased as she moved her fingertips faster, and Damon, controlling her fingertips' movements, made her tap her clitoris in short, quick spurts. The new motion shocked her and Damon nearly broke concentration as he felt her eyes flutter open with newfound pleasure. It was almost unbearable, but Elena never wanted the sensation of Damon pleasing her to stop. "Damon… Oh, god, Damon." Elena's hips bucked reflexively as she reached orgasm and she moaned repeatedly as wave upon wave of sheer gratification lapped over her body. She gasped for air as she finished, amazed at how it had felt as if Damon were really touching her. She sighed, unable to move from her position of utter satisfaction. Never had she achieved an orgasm that powerful, especially not alone. She blushed as she rolled onto her side, slipping into a peaceful and relaxed sleep, completely forgetting her responsibilities at the Lockwood's.

Damon leapt from his hiding place, impressed by the skill with which he sated her desire. He groaned inwardly as Elena's breathy voice echoed through his mind. The way his name floated from her lips was intoxicating. Elena's entire being intoxicated him. He slowly walked back through the forest, gathering his thoughts. He hadn't planned on kissing her, he had only wanted to meet her. But the power of her presence had made restraint impossible. He began planning their next meeting, secretly hoping she would come to him first.

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**_Author's Note: _**So now we know a little bit more of how our young lovers met. :) Hope you guys liked it. I'm not going to update over the weekend, but probably on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Please review! They help me serve you, as my audience, better. I don't have a beta, so feel free to point out any mistakes! Tell me what you think!


	4. The Message

**_Author's Note: _**I'm sorry this is so short, guys. I really wanted it to be longer, but I wanted to give you an update more. No smut, but don't worry, it'll come! Please review. It's greatly appreciated! Just to clarify, the chapter starts in the present and drifts to the past. I think it's pretty clear. I can't imagine Damon being very linear and I think he lives in the past, letting his memories haunt him so that's the reason why I play with the timeline so much! Enjoy!

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Damon awoke in an alcohol-induced haze. His dreams had tortured him, forcing him to relive one of his many regrets. He had gotten up repeatedly to wash away his dreams with the supply of scotch he kept in his bedroom. While being a vampire had its perks, the impossibility of a hangover being one of them, too much still dulled his senses. Neither of them could afford it. Damon looked at Elena and was reminded of how much he loved her. The feeling came crashing over him, soothing his agitated spirit. He hair cascaded down her bare back. They had both slept without clothes; they had been too tired to find them from where they had flown to the floor. He kissed her gently, and carefully snuck out of his bedroom so as to not wake her, grabbing a blood bag out of the fridge once he reached the kitchen. The vampire cringed his nose at the cold, stale smell, but drank his lifeline down quickly. While Elena had often offered her blood to him, Damon refused, no matter how much pleasure it could bring them both. She needed her strength and he couldn't be so selfish, not while she was chasing after them. _Amelia. _He shuddered just thinking of her name.

When Damon explained the story to Elena, it nearly broke his heart; the fear that settled into her features had been too much to bear. But he continued to live in the memory, once again letting the past dominate the events in the present. As a vampire, he had a perfect memory; every detail remained forever engrained in his mind. Recounting the story to Elena had been easy in that sense. But it still pained him every time he thought about it. Her crestfallen face would forever haunt him. And it was his fault. Her appearance had just happened so suddenly. It had been impossible to prepare. He moved to the couch and quickly fell asleep.

"Elena, we need to leave town." Damon ran into the living room where Elena calmly sat reading a magazine. "At least, I need to leave, and it will be safer for you as well. I understand if you don't want to come with me, but you will need to be protected."

"Damon, what the hell are you talking about?" Elena put her magazine down, frustrated. It wasn't like Damon to be so melodramatic and it scared her.

"I have to explain something to you. Just hear me out and afterwards you can decide what you want and if you still want to be with me."

"Excuse me? Damon Salvatore if you cheated on me I swear to-" Elena was quickly interrupted.

"It's worse. Much worse. My…" Damon paused before completing the sentence, searching for an accurate word. "My protégé is in Mystic Falls. She wants revenge."

"Your what?" Out of all the responses that Elena had thought up before Damon finished speaking, protégé was not an expected word. She hadn't known what to expect. Ex girlfriend, maybe. Or perhaps his mysterious brother, Stefan.

"It's a long story. Let me explain." Damon sat next to her on the couch and took her hand in his, grounding him to reality. "Forty years ago, Stefan returned to Mystic Falls. It had been over fifty years and he thought it would be safe. He enrolled in high school and fell in love with Amelia, a Romanian exchange student. Cliché, I know." Damon smirked in a failed attempt to bring humor into the conversation. Elena said nothing. She simply stared at him as she wondered how the story would unfold. "Well, I knew Stefan was here. I promised him a long time ago that I would torment him for eternity. I did what I knew would cause him the most pain. I turned her."

"You turned your brother's girlfriend? Wouldn't that just help them be together forever?" Elena removed her hand from his grasp to tuck her hair behind her ear. She then rested her hands, clasped, in her lap.

"Yes and no. Part of what attracted Stefan to her was her humanity. It was the one thing keeping him grounded. He loved her, but more importantly he loved that she was something to which he could never return."

"And you took that from him." She looked into his piercing blue eyes. She knew that the man she loved was capable of being a monster and she loved and accepted him anyway. But she hadn't understood the reality of his vampiric nature, the bloodthirsty creature lurking within. She suddenly had a greater appreciation for his control, for everything he did for her that sacrificed who he had been for 145 years. He was human for her.

"Yes, I did. Neither one of us was prepared for the shit storm that followed." Damon inhaled deeply before speaking. "Something inside of her snapped. Instead of heightening her human personality, the transformation completely destroyed it. She drained thirteen bodies in a single evening. She brought them back to the boarding house, unsure of what to do with them. I convinced her to leave with me. I think you can guess Stefan's reaction. I left him a note staked to one of the bodies. I haven't seen him since."

"She wants revenge that you turned her 40 years later? I don't understand." She shook her head.

"No. She wants revenge that I tried to kill her. And she knows that the only thing she could possibly do to hurt me would be to hurt you." Damon kissed her but Elena carefully kept her lips still, too overwhelmed to be lost in his kiss.

"Damon, please. Just finish." It pained her to reject him but she had to know.

He continued, "For the first few years it was fun going from town to town and killing everyone in sight. I thought that her newborn stage would end and that we'd eventually part ways once we both tired of the killing sprees. As she got older I tried to teach her control, tried to teach her everything about being a vampire. But she wasn't interested in control and the bloodlust remained tightly ingrained within her. I'd return to our hotel room to find bodies piled in the bathroom. Some of them were still warm. She always tortured her victim, stopping before the brink of death to watch them die in agony. The day I tried to kill her I just snapped. After five years, it was too much, even for me. I staked her to the door and left."

Elena looked puzzled. "She didn't die?"

"No. Ten years later she found me. I couldn't believe it. She told me I had missed her heart by mere centimeters. _Centimeters._" He slammed his fist on the coffee table. "She promised that one day she would seek revenge and disappeared. I haven't heard from her since. But this morning I found a half-drained body in my car. With a note attached." He pulled the folded piece of paper from his pocket before giving it to her.

Immediately Elena noticed the dried brown spatters across the page. She read it quickly.

_Dearest Damon,_

_ I'm so happy to have seen you this morning. You looked so peaceful sleeping with your new girlfriend. Please take this as a gift for your new consummated union. There will be several before I finally take and drain your delicious and delectable Elena. _

_Amelia_

Elena fainted, leaving Damon more determined than ever to save them both.

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**See you guys next chapter! I promise it'll be a long one and we'll find out more. There will also be lemons. :) Tell me what you think! Comments and reviews are appreciated!**


	5. On the Run

Elena woke up quickly, and once she remembered what Damon had just told her, she gripped the couch's arm in support. "I'm going with you." Her voice carried the determination of one who would accept no arguments.

Her willingness to join him surprised him. He picked up her hands wordlessly and kissed them. "We have to pack, dearest. And we have to say something to your family."

The fact that her life was in danger, that Damon's life was in danger, scared her to her core. She loved him with a fierceness she had previously never known, and the thought of losing him was too much for her to bear. Damon could tell that she was fighting tears and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "Damon, what am I going to say to them? How can I just run from them like this? I can't tell them the truth."

Damon kissed the top of her head. "Listen, we'll figure this out. But for now, we have to get on the road. We can't go abroad because I'm sure she can track my credit cards and passport. And it's too risky to compel airport security. But a rental car should be easy enough to steal and I have enough cash in the safe to last for at least a year."

"Where will we go?" Elena looked up at him, her eyes glistening. Before he could answer she pressed her lips to his and melted into his body. She kissed him urgently, letting him know she trusted him, loved him, and believed in him to save them both.

Damon gently pushed her away before their emotions overcame them. "I'll let you know once we're on the road. But we're going to drive for a long time without stopping. I've got a special, triple insulated ice chest. We'll put food for both of us in that." He winked at her, lightening the moment.

"Gross. Your blood bags are going to contaminate my dinner." She pushed his arm playfully, attempting to push her fears away as well.

"You could always be dinner instead." He smiled at her before looking at his watch. "It's 12:15. I think you'd be better as lunch." In an instant they were on the couch and Damon was on top of her, fangs exposed, hovering above her neck. He leaned down, brushing his fangs against her skin before he retracted them and kissed her neck instead.

"Dammit! I hate it when you do that!" She placed both arms on his chest and attempted to shove him off of her. He didn't budge.

"Liar. You love it." He smirked as she blushed and a lovely red color travelled across her face. He bent down to kiss her neck again and quickly moved first to her collarbone, then in between her chest through her thin t-shirt.

A small moan escaped her lips. "Alright, you win. I do love it."

Damon quickly stood, pulling her up along with him. "Ok, run up to my room and pack for me while I get my food together."

Elena raised her eyebrows at him but did as she was told. She entered his room, the room they often shared, and began muttering to herself. "Where is a duffel bag…"

"Mahogany wardrobe, bottom shelf," he yelled up at her.

She smiled and whispered a thank you she was sure he would hear. She began gathering jeans, t-shirts, and socks before narrowing in on his underwear drawer. "Am I going to be surprised by what I find in here, Mr. Salvatore? Have you been hiding your Spongebob boxers from me?"

"Hell no." Damon appeared in the doorway to his bedroom with vampiric speed.

Elena jumped before regaining composure. "Are you sure?" She opened the drawer quickly before he could stop her only to be disappointed by neatly folded black Calvin Klein boxer briefs, the only underwear she'd ever seen on him. "I have to say that your underwear is very boring. I may have to remedy that. I think a pair with glittery red lips all over would do."

"No thanks. The only lips I want there are yours." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"How very flattering." She began tugging at the zipper of the duffel bag, praying it would close.

"Jesus woman, how much of my wardrobe did you pack?" He brushed her hands away and closed the bag himself before slinging it across his shoulder.

"If we're on the run, we're not going to have time to do laundry. I'm just being practical." She followed him out the door.

He picked up the ice chest on the way out and walked towards the street. "It'll be easier to have Jenna drive us to the rental car place so we don't have to ditch either one of our cars. Do you think she'll do that?"

"Maybe. But you still haven't told me what to tell her." Elena spoke quietly, and in her face Damon could see that she didn't want to lie to her aunt, the only female connection to her mother.

"We're going to Stefan's. He's ill and I need to see my brother. You're coming with me for emotional support. He lives in Connecticut and we're driving up there because they don't have any last minute flights available. We can't take my car because of the gas mileage. It should only be for a week." Damon spoke each word slowly, formulating the plan as he spoke. "Give her this bracelet with Vervain in it. I'll compel her so that she won't ever take it off and won't invite strangers into the house." He handed her a box with a charm bracelet inside. "I was going to give this to you, I'm sorry."

Elena quickly looked down and blinked her eyes rapidly, forcing the approaching tears to retreat. "Thank you. What about Jeremy?"

"You can tell him. He already knows about me anyway. It might be good for some one in your family to know. Just in case we ever need anything." Damon walked slowly to stay in stride with Elena's small steps.

"Alright. I need to talk to Caroline. And Bonnie. Caroline shouldn't know. But Bonnie needs to. She can help protect us." Elena put her hands in her pockets, contemplating what exactly she should say to her best friends.

"Could she send a message to Stefan?" They were nearing Elena's house and Damon reached to pull Elena's hand from her pocket. He intertwined his fingers with hers.

"Yes, I think so." She found herself holding her breath as they walked up the steps to her house.

"Ready?" Damon asked.

"Yes." Elena knocked on the door.

Jenna quickly answered. Before she could say anything, Damon held her shoulders and locked his eyes on hers. "Jenna, Elena is going to give you a bracelet. You will not take it off under any circumstances unless some one threatens to cut off your hand or hurt some one you love. I trust you to judge the appropriate occasion. You will not invite strangers into your home. No matter what. Now, forget this conversation. Shut the door, count to 5, and then open it again. It will be the first time you opened the door to us." He released her shoulders and she shut the door. Damon squeezed Elena's hand. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

The door opened and Jenna grabbed Elena in a hug. "Next time ask before you spend the night at your boyfriend's house. Don't just send me a text. Sheesh." She pulled away from her niece and mock glared at Damon. "You're supposed to be older and more responsible. Next time tell her to call me." Jenna smiled and opened the door wider, inviting them in.

"I'm sorry Jenna. But I bought you this as a please forgive me present." Elena handed the box over to her aunt who opened it immediately.

"Wow. This is beautiful. Thank you. I'll put it on and never take it off. Will you help me with the clasp?" She outstretched her wrist and put it in her niece's lap.

Elena put the bracelet on her aunt. "Aunt Jenna, I have something to ask you." She gulped. "Damon, can you go wait in the kitchen so I can talk to my aunt?"

"Of course." He kissed the side of her head before leaving the room. He settled onto a barstool and listened to the conversation as it began to unfold.

"Aunt Jenna, Damon's brother Stefan is really sick and Damon needs to go see him. He already looked for flights to Connecticut but since it's so last minute there aren't any available. He has to drive. He wants me to go with him. Stefan might be dying and as strong as Damon is I don't think he can handle it on his own." Elena started crying and buried her face in her hands. Her reaction surprised her aunt who quickly wrapped her arms around her only niece. Elena cried harder, letting all of her emotions boil to the surface. Damon gripped the granite counter top in frustration but forced himself to stay seated. She needed this and he knew it.

"Of course you can go. What can I do to help?" She stroked Elena's hair, giving the comfort of a mother.

"Can you drive us to the rental car place? He doesn't want to take his car." Elena sniffled as her tears began to subside.

Jenna handed Elena a tissue. "Of course. When do you want to leave?"

"I want to talk to Bonnie and Caroline. And of course Jeremy. Two hours maybe?" Elena stood from the couch where they both had been sitting.

"Alright. Do you want me to pack for you?" Jenna stood to join her niece.

Elena threw her arms around her aunt, surprising them both. "Oh my God, Aunt Jenna. That would be amazing! I didn't want to have to send Damon up to do it."

"Alright. Don't worry; I'll pack you PLENTY of clothes since I know you like options. And I'll keep in mind you're travelling with your boyfriend." Jenna winked at her and Elena blushed a deep red for the second time that morning.

"Thanks. We'll be back as soon as I finish talking to everyone. You're the best." Damon joined them in the living room and walked towards Elena. She wrapped her arm around his waist and kissed his cheek.

"Thanks for letting her come with me, Jenna. You don't know how much this means to me. I promise I'll take good care of her." He extended his hand for a grateful handshake.

"You two better get going. Everything will be ready when you get back. I'll call a catering service to pack you guys two days worth of food just in case. And of course the traditional road trip junk food." She walked towards the phone and began dialing.

The two drove to Caroline's first in Elena's car, as they knew the conversation with her would take the shortest amount of time. Elena quickly gave Caroline the same story she told Jenna.

"What I would give to go on a private road trip with Matt! How romantic!" She squealed.

"Caroline, it's not exactly under the best circumstances." Elena grimaced.

"Well, I know. But there will definitely be some bonding. And you'll have the privacy of a hotel room without having to worry about interrupting parents who come home early or unexpectedly…" Caroline trailed of wistfully.

"Damon lives alone, remember? Besides, hotel room walls are awfully thin…" Elena pursed her lips.

"So you'll have to pipe down, huh?" Caroline laughed as Elena's eyes widened.

"God. I'll miss you. Text me, ok? Just because I'm not here doesn't mean I'll stop caring about everything that's going on. Keep me updated. Promise?" She held out her pinky like they used to all the time in elementary school.

"Of course. Everything will be ok. Text me or call me if you need to talk." She crossed pinkies with Elena and they both smiled.

"Thanks, Care. You're a great friend." Elena numbly walked back to the car where Damon was waiting for her.

"Alright. Bonnie's house next." He pulled out of Caroline's driveway and they began the drive to the witch's house.

"Damon, I need to ask you something. And I want you to be completely and totally honest with me." Elena began the sentence slowly. She didn't really want to know the answer to her soon to be posed question, but she needed to for her sanity.

"I'm always honest with you." He looked at her quizzically.

"This girl, Amelia, who's after us. Did you sleep with her? Is she like a crazy jealous ex girlfriend?" Elena looked straight into Damon's eyes, begging him for the truth.

"Fuck no," he spat vehemently. "She's insane. Most of the time I wanted to strangle her. I tried to help her because I felt guilty, that's all."

A look of relief washed over Elena's face. "Ok. I believe you."

"Come on, let's see what Bonnie has to say." They stepped up to Bonnie's door and Damon knocked hesitantly. He'd never been invited into her home before and he was unsure whether she would think the present circumstance would merit an invitation or if she would cause him the most excruciating pain his brain had ever felt. Bonnie, as a witch, did not like the fact that her best friend was dating a vampire.

Bonnie opened the door and immediately sensed the fear within Elena. Whether it was the fact that they had been best friends for their entire lives, or her supernatural powers, she wasn't sure. But her friend's fear crashed into with a force strong enough to make her take a step back. "Elena, what's wrong?"

"Bonnie, I need your help." They sat on the porch and Elena told Bonnie everything Damon had told her this morning: the story about Amelia, the bloody body Damon had found in his car, and the note.

"Give me the note." Bonnie took the note with her left hand and grabbed Elena's hand with the other. She muttered words Elena couldn't understand and then the note began to float in the air, turning wildly, thrashing as if something was caged inside of it and fighting for a way out.

Elena was scared but kept the contact with Bonnie. Finally, her friend's eyes rolled back in her head and her arms fell to her sides. "Bonnie! Bonnie!"

"Elena, stop yelling." Bonnie's eyes fluttered open. "I used a tracking spell on the vampire who wrote this note. I should be able to tell if she comes close to you and be able to warn you in time for you to escape."

"Bonnie, I have a favor to ask you." Damon's voice was quite, as if it pained him to ask for something from a girl who hated him so deeply.

"What is it Damon?" Bonnie snapped her head quickly to look at him.

"Can you send a message to my brother? I need him to know what's happening. I don't want him to be in danger." His eyes pleaded with hers.

"Yes. But I need to go inside for that." She hesitated, looking towards the door with questioning thoughts. "Please, come in. Both of you."

Damon sighed silently in relief and followed the two girls inside the house. He watched as Bonnie gathered paper, a knife, salt, and five candles.

Bonnie set up the candles as the points of a pentagram and used salt to draw in the shape. She shut off the lights in her home and pulled the curtains closed. They sat in the dark until she lit the candles. "Damon, please give me your hand." He gave her his right hand, palm up. "As I cut into your hand, say the words you want to communicate. I'll stop cutting when you sign your name." She poised the knife over his palm and began to cut diagonally as he began to speak.

"Stefan, I returned to Mystic Falls. I fell in love. But now Amelia is after us and she wants to kill us both. We're running. Please be careful. I'll get in contact once it's safe. Take care, brother. Damon." As his name left his lips, Bonnie lifted the blade and pressed it against the paper. As the blood flowed down the blade onto the paper, words began to form. Elena gasped as the blood wrote the words in Damon's neat, exact handwriting.

"Now, don't say anything." Bonnie closed her eyes and dark, guttural words began spewing from her throat. "Aacth, Eerahkenath, Mogthalaak. Acth, Eerahkenath, Mogthalaak." She chanted the words from the ancient spell over and over, getting louder and more frightening with each repetition. Finally the letter disappeared. "It's done. I'll go to your house and place a protection spell tonight."

"Thank you Bonnie." Elena smiled at her friend, knowing that someday they'd see each other again. "I love you. You've been the truest of friends."

"Yes, thank you Bonnie." Damon added, hoping to express the depth of his gratitude with minimal words.

"You better protect her, Damon. You know what I can do if you don't. I took a risk inviting you in my home, and I hope you realize that it's entirely for her." Bonnie looked at him coldly.

"I do. And I will protect her until a stake gets plunged through my heart and I breathe my last breath." Damon spoke with such intensity that Bonnie's eyes immediately softened.

"I know. Now go, both of you." She hugged Elena and ushered them out the door. She sat on the steps leading up to her house with her knees pressed to her chest.

Elena refused to look back as they drove away to return to her house. Once they reached their destination, Elena ran to her brother's room. For the second time that day she explained her dangerous situation and the need for both she and Damon to leave Mystic Falls.

"I'm glad you told me, Elena. Aunt Jenna will be ok, don't worry. Stay safe, ok? Keep in touch so I know how you're doing." Jeremy responded to the story with stoic acceptance. He knew if he expressed the depth of his worry, his sister would fall apart.

"Thanks Jer." Elena hugged him, realizing that she had hugged more people in one day than she usually did all week. "I'll be back. I promise." She wiped a tear from her eye and looked at her only sibling.

"I know. Aunt Jenna's waiting." Jeremy slowly prodded his sister to leave. The longer she waited, the harder it would be.

"Alright, the car is packed with you food and clothes. Now let's get on our way." Jenna spoke cheerfully, unaware that she could never see her niece again.

Damon easily compelled the man at the rental car place and settled on a black Honda Accord due to the reliability, good gas mileage, and trunk space. He put their bags in the trunk and placed the ice chest with his blood supply and the catered food in the back seat. By the time they reached the freeway, the clock read 4pm.

After driving for three straight days, Damon finally settled on a hotel in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They had zigzagged across the country, stopping only for bathroom breaks and quick stretches. Damon had insisted upon driving the whole way, and while he didn't need sleep in the same capacity as a human, he was exhausted. He quickly compelled the clerk, and grabbed the keys to the suite on the top floor. "There's no reason we can't hide out in style, right?" He grinned at Elena as they entered the elevator.

She sighed, simply too tired to respond. Normally she would object to him using compulsion, but her body ached from being in a car for so long and she yearned for a bed. As they entered the room Elena immediately got in the bed and passed out. Damon bent to untie Elena's shoes and he carefully pulled them off her feet. He then removed her socks and jeans before tucking her gently into the bed, bringing the covers up to her chin. Before joining her, he quickly took off his jeans. He then settled into the bed and slept.

When he awoke he noticed that he had slept for 14 hours, highly unusual for the vampire. He groaned before looking over at Elena. She was still asleep. He quickly put on his jeans and grabbed the phone before heading to the bathroom. He shut the door quietly and placed a call.

Thirty minutes later, Elena woke up to a quite rapping on the door and Damon's angry whispers. "Dammit, I told you not to knock on the door, that I would know when you were coming. Just give me the cart. You don't deserve this, but here's your tip."

Elena smiled as she smelled the food on the cart. Even though it was already early afternoon, Damon had ordered breakfast, her favorite. "I love you. You're so good to me."

Damon grimaced as he thought of their current situation. Clearly he was not good to anyone.

"Stop it. I can see that look on your face. Come eat with me." Elena shoved a plate towards him and quickly focused on her own French toast, bacon, and eggs. She ate quickly and soon returned to the warmth of the oversize bed. Damon joined her.

Elena quickly climbed on top of him. As she tugged to free him of his shirt, he raised his arms obligingly. She kissed his chest, slowly and languorously. She then moved to his stomach, fluttering her eye lashes against his skin, and grinned as she saw the bulge in his jeans grow. She let her hair fall over his chest as she continued to lower her kisses and then moved back up again, torturing him. "Fuck, Elena," He groaned.

"Are you sure?" She looked at him expectantly, barely hiding her enjoyment from teasing him.

"Jesus, yes." With his reply, she unbuttoned his pants and pulled off his boxers along with them. She placed her mouth on his erection, licking and sucking from tip to shaft. She dug her nails into the sides of his thighs and he groaned again. She stopped abruptly and returned to his chest, peeling off her shirt in the process to place her bare chest against his.

Damon quickly moved to be on top of her. "It's your turn," He growled at her. He brought one of her nipples into his mouth and used one of his fingers to rub her clit. He was gentle at first but her cries of enjoyment brought his mouth crashing down hungrily against hers. He moved his face to the side of hers as he inserted first one and then two fingers inside of her, placing his neck within easy grasp of her mouth.

She placed her mouth on the flesh of his neck where it connected with his shoulder and bit down with the force required to break the skin of a vampire. They both moaned simultaneously and she drank greedily. She removed her teeth and he entered her. He began thrusting into her, building momentum.

Before Elena could take a breath, Damon moved them so her back was against the wall. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He kept his hands on her rear, moving her onto him. Elena gripped his arms in support and tilted her head back against the wall in ecstasy. "Damon, bite me. Please." She panted out the words one at a time. "Oh, God, Damon bite me."

He felt her nearing sweet release and he bit into her neck just as she reached orgasm. She screamed out in pleasure as wave after wave rocked her body.

In an instant they were back on the bed. Damon slowed at first, but began to quicken his thrusts as he sensed Elena close to reaching her second orgasm. She closed her eyes, unable to tell where she ended and Damon began. In that moment she felt completely fulfilled. She gasped at the revelation and as the pleasure continued to course through her veins. Damon groaned as they tumbled over the edge together. He waited for a few minutes before lying beside her. Both lovers breathed heavily and Elena moved to melt into him.

"You are very, very good to me." Elena's husky voice proved that she was thoroughly sated.

Damon smiled arrogantly. "I suppose I am."

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**_Author's Note: _**When I first started this chapter, I had no idea how I was going to get the smut worked in! But, it worked out. It's also my longest chapter to date, woohoo! Please please please review! They are what keeps me motivated to write. I cannot stress enough how important reviews are to me. If you guys have questions, let me know. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!


	6. The Monster

**_Back to the Beginning. We still have to find out how they got together after all. This takes place directly after chapter 3. _**

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Elena dreaded the drive to the Lockwood estate. She knew Mrs. Lockwood would say something about her mysterious disappearance and Elena couldn't come up with anything that sounded even remotely plausible. As she drove she considered possible excuses, and finally settled on a family emergency. She hoped that it wouldn't prompt too many questions. She walked to the door slowly, her boots gliding across the ancient wooden steps as she mounted them one by one, delaying the confrontation as long as possible. She looked up from her feet and screamed as a large crow cawed, settling onto the porch banister. The bird tilted its head as it looked at her and Elena had the odd feeling of being studied. She opened her mouth to speak when the door to the manor opened. The bird flew off after an angry caw, leaving only Elena and Mrs. Lockwood.

"Elena? You scared me, what is it?" Mrs. Lockwood pursed her lips, hoping nothing was out of place on the day of the big celebration. She had planned every detail and had personally overseen everything from the flowers to the seating charts.

"I'm sorry. There was a crow and it scared me." She realized how preposterous it sounded as a look of doubt swept over Mrs. Lockwood's features. She quickly changed the subject. "I brought the papers from Damon Salvatore."

"Elena, sweetie, you were supposed to bring these over yesterday." Mrs. Lockwood frowned as Elena handed her the papers. She glanced through them, making sure that each one was where it should be, with her.

"I know, I'm really sorry. Something came up and I had to go home immediately." Elena struggled to keep her composure, forcing herself to forget the real reason she hadn't returned to the Founder's Day preparations.

"Oh well, they're here now. Everything was finished yesterday so you just need to go home and get ready. I trust that you'll be on time, Elena. I know your mother would have very much looked forward to this event and I would hate for you to miss it." Mrs. Lockwood dismissed her with a wave of her hand.

At the mention of her mother, Elena nearly burst into tears. She missed her mother so much it hurt. She turned and ran to her car. The drive calmed her and by the time she reached her house she was emotionally ready to begin dressing for the ball. "Jenna? I need to start getting ready. Will you help me with my hair later?" Elena yelled to her aunt as soon as she opened the door.

"Yes, of course. Take your time, we still have a few hours." Jenna smiled at her niece.

Elena smiled back and walked up the stairs to her room. She was grateful to have an aunt like Jenna. Above all else, Jenna was understanding and kind. She quickly did her make up: a subtle yet sexy smoky eye. Her thoughts drifted to Damon, and she blushed as she realized how much she hoped he would be at the ball. Would they dance together? Would he kiss her again? She pictured the two of them dancing together and was lost in the fantasy. "I bet he looks dashing in a suit." She sighed, irritated with herself for letting her imagination take things too far. "It was just a kiss, relax," she told herself. She looked out the window and saw a crow fly from her tree. She shrugged, puzzled, and walked to her closet.

She took out the blue satin gown and admired it. The color was perfect and the slight change in fabric across her chest would enhance her cleavage. The thin straps would emphasize her small shape and secretly she hoped that Damon would notice. She put it on carefully before calling to Jenna for help. "Jenna! Can you help me zip my dress?" Elena laughed as she heard the immediate thud of footsteps on the staircase.

"Fairy godmother, here to help." Jenna entered the room with a flourish. She zipped her niece into the dress and motioned her to step back so she could admire her. "You look stunning. Those men will be falling all over you."

Elena hid a smile and looked down at the dress. "You think so?"

"Mmhmm. And by the looks of it, you have a man in mind. Spill." Jenna sat down on the bed in anticipation.

"I don't even know him, Aunt Jenna. I only met him once for like 5 seconds. I don't even know if he'll want to talk to me." The sentences flew from Elena's mouth, vocalizing the doubt in her mind.

"Well? Who he is? I could just start guessing you know, but I don't know the names of many of the boys in your high school, let alone the new kids." She coaxed her niece, knowing that she'd spit it out eventually.

"He doesn't go to my high school. He just moved here and he lives in the Salvatore boarding house. His name is Damon Salvatore. I think he's in his early twenties." Elena watched Jenna's face for a reaction.

"Wow, an older man. Looks like you're moving into the big leagues. Is he hot?" Jenna stood and motioned Elena to sit in the chair in front of her vanity. She began plugging in various sizes of curling irons for Elena's hair.

"Extremely. He has dark hair and the most piercing blue eyes I've ever seen. He kissed me." Elena smiled and caught herself touching her lips in remembrance of their kiss.

"Then I'm sure he'll come up and talk to you tonight. Just be careful, ok? I know you're an old 17, but you are still 17." Jenna picked up sections of Elena's hair and began curling. "I don't want you making any of the mistakes I made. And trust me, I made plenty of them." Jenna grinned as she remembered her high school self.

"I know. I know. I'll be careful. But I still want him to kiss me again." She smirked at her reflection in the mirror. Her make up was perfect and Jenna was doing a great job with her hair. She would make sure he wanted to kiss her again.

"There. You look perfect. I know I'm not as great at doing hair as your mother, but I think you look pretty damn amazing if I do say so myself. Want me to drive you? I don't mind going early." Jenna quickly unplugged the irons and brushed off Elena's stray hair.

"No, Caroline is giving me a ride. You better go get ready yourself." Elena playfully pushed her aunt out the door and walked down the stairs. Just as she was grabbing her purse, she heard a car honk. "That would be her. See you Jenna. Bye, Jeremy!" She yelled up at her brother, hoping he would hear her over the roar of his music, and walked carefully to Caroline's car.

"Hey, Caroline." Elena greeted her friend as she stepped into her car.

"Oh, my God, Elena! Gorgeous much?" Caroline gasped at her friend.

"Thanks, Care. You look amazing too. I think you'll be the prettiest girl there." Elena slowly took in Caroline's extravagant dress and hairdo. She must have spent hours getting ready.

"I know." Caroline replied confidently, happy with the compliment. "But these shoes are going to murder my feet by the end of the night. The things we do for beauty, right?"

"Right." Elena winced as she thought of her own toe pinching heels.

They continued the rest of the way in silence, relaxing before the big night. Once they reached the Lockwood mansion, Caroline gave her keys to the valet, and they entered the house. Mrs. Lockwood was busy flitting from one side of the house to the other, making sure everything was perfect for the annual Founder's Day Ball. She took her responsibilities as Mayor's wife seriously, too seriously Elena thought. "Oh girls, I'm so glad you're here. Please wait upstairs for your presentation."

"I hate how we're being presented like this. It makes me feel like only half of a human being." Elena grumbled as she and Caroline joined the other girls.

"It's tradition, Elena. Just deal." Caroline whispered.

After being presented to the town, Elena sat at the table reserved for the debutants and wondered whom she would have to dance with first. "I feel just like I'm in 1864. This is ridiculous." She muttered to herself.

"I don't think they were allowed to wear the kind of dress you're wearing. It would have been scandalous." He raised his brows dramatically, emphasizing the last word.

"D-Damon. I was wondering if I would see you here." Her heart began to beat faster, giving her emotions away.

His eyes twinkled as he realized how nervous she was to talk to him. He decided to see just how uncomfortable she would get. "So, you were thinking about me?"

Her reaction surprised him. Instead of another nervous response, or a blush, she answered him confidently. "Yes, I was. I was hoping I would see you here." Elena's experience told her it was better to be direct than too coy.

"I see. Would you dance with me? I promise I know all the steps." He offered her his hand.

"Why, I would be delighted Mr. Salvatore." She matched his smirk with one of her own as she curtsied before taking his hand.

They danced together for the entire evening, taking only a few breaks to sit down. It reminded Damon too much of 1864, but he ignored the past. Instead he focused on Elena, taking in every detail and committing it to memory. She was fascinating and her laugh captured him. It surprised him how much he was drawn to her. Her blood had nothing to do with it. He realized that he hadn't even noticed the scent of her liquid life, only the sweet scent of her perfume. He didn't consider her as food or a pawn, just a woman that he was determined to know. "What the hell?" He grimaced as the change within him roared to the surface.

"Damon, are you alright?" Elena looked up at him questioningly. He'd been silent for the past five minutes as they sat at a secluded table.

"Elena, would you like to have dinner with me?" The question surprised both of them and Elena at first was taken back.

"Yes, of course." She responded quickly after her initial shock.

"Good. I'll pick you tomorrow. Does seven sound alright?" His voice was strained. The change overcoming him left him feeling unsettled and nervous.

"Yes. Perfect." She watched as he picked up his coat jacket.

"I'm sorry. I really have to go. I'll see you tomorrow." He left quickly, leaving Elena in stunned silence.

It pained him to leave her so quickly but the vampire within him was raging. After burying his humanity for so long it was exhausting to drag it out for an entire evening. Eventually he would have to reconcile the two, but tonight he would give himself over to the dark creature of the night he had been for the last 145 years. He grinned in anticipation of the kill as he drove out of Mystic Falls and headed towards Richmond. He parked his car behind a bar and waited for his prey; he would save the thrill of the chase for another night. This time he found an easy target, one who could quickly satisfy his lust for blood. He watched as a blonde stumbled out of the bar, clearly intoxicated. He exited his car and called out to her. "Do you need a hand?" He smiled, luring her into his trap.

"Yes, please. I need to walk home and I can't really see straight." The words came out in a jumbled mess and she giggled as she nearly tripped over herself.

"Here, let me give you a hand." He wrapped his arm around her waist and in an instant plunged his fangs into her jugular. He growled as his teeth easily ripped through her flesh and the musical sound of skin tearing to accommodate his fangs only increased the desire to kill. Her pounding heart and the scent of her blood released the monster. She let out a muffled scream but was quickly silenced by the rapid loss of blood. Damon slowed his drinking before he drained her too quickly, relishing the taste of alcohol and the thick metallic taste of blood. He groaned gratefully as the last drop of her blood passed his tongue and slid down his throat. He dropped her to the ground and licked his lips. The vampire retreated slowly, not yet finished, but left the man with the dead girl. He placed her body in the dumpster and got back into his car. He searched for another bar, his thirst not yet sated.

After twice repeating the process, Damon returned to Mystic Falls thoroughly satisfied. He poured himself a glass of Bourbon and got into bed, mentally preparing for his date with Elena.

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**_Author's Note: _**Ok, so I'm exploring the dichotomy between the vampire Damon and the human Damon, since the both of them don't seem to really get along, I really wanted to delve into that. Also, I'm tired of the lack of Damon gore on the show. I miss him killing people and being a bad ass, so that's who he's going to be. :) It might get more violent, I'm not sure. What do you think their first date is going to be like? Do you think Elena would have sex on a first date? Tell me what you think! If you liked what you read, or even if you didn't, please hit the review button just under this chapter. :) I would like to thank Babi, LovexAndxFate, AzureRoseSky and IkeaGoddess for their reviews. They really help me get going. Reviews are amazing, and they let me know how you feel! And they keep me motivated to write. See you guys next chapter. I promise to update sooner this time.


	7. The Perfect First Date

**_IkeaGoddess' review left me so inspired I wrote the first date scene right away. So thank her for the quick update! Enjoy! Review Review Review :)_**

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Damon awoke with the familiar feeling of hunger in his stomach, but he frowned when he realized there was another feeling: nervousness. For the first time in his entire vampiric life, Damon had butterflies in his stomach. And because of a woman no less. No, a teenager, he reminded himself. "God, I could get in trouble for this" he muttered as he turned on the shower. The hot water relaxed him instantly and he began to plan the evening, trying to figure out exactly how to please her.

Across the city, Elena woke up a few hours later to Jenna sitting on her. "I saw you last night with Mr. Beautiful. I tried to let you sleep in, but I can't stand it anymore. Tell me everything."

Elena groaned. "God Jenna, it's too early…" She rolled over and attempted to pull the covers over her head.

"It's 11am. It's not that early." Jenna snatched the blankets from her niece.

Suddenly, Elena sat up, remembering her date with Damon. She smiled widely and announced it to Jenna. "He asked me out on a date."

Jenna threw her arms around her niece. "That's great!"

"Well, dinner more specifically. He's picking me up at seven." Her grin spread even further across her face.

"Where are you going?" Jenna asked her question barely a second after Elena answered the previous one.

"I don't know. He kind of disappeared after that." She pulled her knees to her chest and frowned. "I didn't even kiss me."

"I'm sure he just wanted to be the mysterious older man." Jenna laughed as she exaggerated her tone. "Just come home sometime before 6am ok? That's when a fun night ends and it officially becomes a walk of shame."

Elena giggled and the sound masked the flapping of wings as the crow left her windowsill. "Alright, Aunt Jenna. Do you mind if I call Caroline to see if she can come over? I want her to help me decide what to wear."

"Nope. She's the perfect one to ask." Jenna left and closed the door so Elena could make her phone call.

"Care? Yeah, it's me. Can you come over around 5? I have a date and I want you to help me pick something to wear." She paused and held the phone away from her ear to avoid the deafening shriek that came through her cell. "Cool, I'll see you then."

She put her phone on her nightstand and buried herself under the covers. If she was going to stay out all night, she wanted to make sure that she had the energy to stay awake.

Caroline knocked on the door a few minutes before 5. "Hey Jenna. Is she in her room?"

"Yup. Go on up." Jenna grinned and shook her head as the girl ran up the steps.

"Elena, I can't believe you didn't tell me about this guy yesterday. I was just as surprised as everyone else at the ball when you never took your eyes off each other. How long has this been going on?" The words flew from Caroline's mouth and Elena laughed.

"Calm down, Caroline. I only met him the day before, that's why I didn't tell you. Today's our first date and I don't even know where I'm going. I don't have his number to text him and ask. So you have to help me find something that would work for anything." Elena sat on her bed as Caroline dug through her closet.

"Skinny, dark blue jeans. I know you have the perfect pair." Her voice became muffled as she walked further into the closet. "Oh, here." She threw a pair of jeans at Elena. "And this black top."

"Caroline! I can't wear this on a first date." Elena looked at the low cut, black formfitting shirt. "My boobs practically fall out of this shirt."

"Exactly. Just wear this over it." She gave her a dark violet cardigan. "Now, what kind of lingerie are wearing?"

"I'm not sleeping with him on a first date." Elena began getting dressed in the clothes her friend gave her.

"Suit yourself. But he's hot, I would." Caroline began examining Elena's shoes.

"He's more than hot. He's the most gorgeous man I've ever seen. We'll see. I'll let you know." She winked at her and walked into the bathroom she shared with Jeremy to do her makeup.

"You better tell me, Elena. I've gotta go. But have fun tonight. Use a condom!" She laughed and left.

Elena rolled her eyes. Just as she was ready, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" She yelled, but stopped herself from running down the stairs. She opened the door. "You are exactly on time." She mentally sighed in relief. He too was wearing jeans and a black shirt, which he topped with a leather jacket.

"I like to be punctual. Aren't you going to invite me in?" He smiled at her as he stood on the porch.

"Let's just go. My family's watching a movie." She grabbed her purse and walked out, pulling the door closed behind her. They walked to his car, an old blue Chevy, and he opened her door. "Thank you," she said as she slid onto the leather seat.

He walked to the driver's side, cursing inwardly at not being invited in, hoping it wouldn't later prove to be problematic. He exhaled and got in the car. But instead of starting it, he turned to Elena. "So, unless you have any objections, we're going to a new restaurant that just opened in Richmond. It's kind of out of the way, but I saw it yesterday when I was there on business and thought you might like it."

She could have sworn he paused briefly before he said business, but if he did it happened so quickly she ignored it. "That sounds amazing. I used to go Richmond a lot with my parents."

"I heard about their accident. I'm really sorry." The engine roared to life as he started the car and began the familiar drive to the city.

"Thank you. It's better now. A lot better, actually. What about your parents?" She looked at him as she asked.

"They passed away a long time ago." He kept his eyes on the road, unable to look at her. She was too distracting. He glanced over at her through the corner of his eye and saw her cleavage. He pursed his lips. Her legs looked long and lean in her jeans. She looked amazing, the perfect mix between sexy and casual.

"I'm sorry." Her look softened and he allowed himself to look at her.

He could see the sincerity in her eyes. "Thank you."

"Do you have any other family?" She posed her questions carefully so it didn't sound like she was grilling him for information.

"I have a brother but we don't really get along anymore. Besides that, I don't really have anyone." His honesty surprised him, but something about her made him not want to lie.

"I couldn't imagine being without Jeremy." She shivered and looked out the window. She realized they had left behind the city lights a while ago. "Where are we?"

"We're almost here. See those faint lights just up the road? That's it." He began driving slowly as the pavement ended.

"I hate to break it to you, but I'm not into the occult, in case that's what this is." She joked, covering up her slight nervousness.

He laughed heartily. A vampire definitely counts as the occult, he thought to himself before answering her. "Just trust me. It's a five star restaurant. But the dress is casual don't worry." The frown that had begun to spread across her forehead disappeared. He got out of the car and opened her door for her. He grabbed her hand and they walked through the dimly lit doors. The restaurant had a blue cast to it, and Elena noticed that the only lights in the entire restaurant were from candles. She looked up and gasped, causing Damon to chuckle again. "You like it?"

"It's beautiful." She continued to stare at the ceiling. It was made entirely of glass and through it she could see the millions of stars in the night sky. Because they were so far from the city lights, the pale glow from the stars and candles gave the restaurant a beautiful sparkling affect. "I've never seen anything like this before."

"Can I help you sir?" The Maître d' looked at the young couple quizzically.

"Yes. I made a reservation for two. It's under Salvatore." Damon answered him smoothly, never taking his eyes off Elena.

"Oh yes, Mr. Salvatore. Right this way." He led them to the back of the restaurant and Elena was surprised to see that he seated them in a small, secluded room. She noticed there were high quality photos from the Hubble telescopes on the royal blue walls, and as soon as they were seated she looked back up at the ceiling in awe of the visible stars.

"I'll have wine, Elena, what do you want?" Damon judged that she would want to order for herself.

"Just lemon water is fine, thank you." Elena took her eyes reluctantly from the ceiling to give her drink order. The Maître d' gave them their menus and left them alone. "Damon, this place is incredible. I've never seen anything like this before. How did you even know about it?"

"I ran into it by accident yesterday. What do you think?" Her reaction thrilled him and he inwardly congratulated himself on his success.

"I feel like I'm in space. And I just can't believe how many stars there are. You can't see this many in Mystic Falls." She began looking through the menu and gasped at the prices. "This place is really expensive…"

"Order whatever you want. I'm having the steak and lobster." He folded his menu quickly so he could look at the beautiful woman sitting across from him.

Elena noticed that that was the most expensive plate on the menu. She quickly settled on the chicken Alfredo. The meal passed quickly as they talked and laughed together over their dinner. It surprised her how sarcastic he was. Sooner than they both liked, the meal was over and the walked towards his car. "Damon? Can we just sit here a minute with the top down and look at the stars some more before we leave?"

"Of course." He put the top down despite the cold temperature. He noticed that Elena was shivering in her thin sweater. He quickly took of his leather jacket and gave it to her. "Here, take this."

"Thank you." She took it and put it on before moving to sit closer to him. She leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder so that she could look up at the sky. They stayed that way for a few minutes before she moved to sit back on the passenger's side. She fastened her seatbelt and Damon started the car. "Now what are we going to do?"

Damon looked pleased with himself. He was glad his plan worked and Elena wanted to spend more time with him. "I was going to take you home. Don't you have a curfew?" He asked, feigning ignorance.

"My curfew is 6am, so not really. Do you want to watch a movie?" She hoped her voice didn't betray how badly she wanted to stay with him.

Damon's breath caught in his throat before he spoke. He wanted to spend time with her, but he also knew how difficult it was going to be. He was determined to take things slowly with her. The last thing he wanted to do was mess up everything. "Sure. I have practically every movie imaginable. I'm sure you'll be able to find something." They continued the drive in relative silence.

As they entered his house, Damon led the way to the parlor. The large flat screen TV seemed out of place with all the antiques but Elena walked straight to the large collection of DVDs beside it. "Do you have a preference?"

"Nope." He secretly hoped she wouldn't pick something too romantic. He doubted he could sit through an entire chick flick from start to finish.

"What about this one?" She held it up for him to see.

Damon smiled and nearly laughed. "A vampire flick? Sure."

"Perfect. I love Underworld. I've seen it at least ten times." She walked towards the DVD player, but realized there were at least five different machines under the TV.

"Here, let me." Damon stood and walked towards her, their bodies touching briefly. He heard the small gulp escape her as they separated and he tensed. It was going to be a long two hours.

They settled onto the couch, barely touching. As the movie began to unfold, Elena found herself barely able to concentrate because of the tension. Damon hadn't moved an inch in the thirty minutes they had been sitting there, and she wondered if he was having the same problem. "Damon?"

"Yeah?" He forced himself to take his eyes off the screen to look at her. She was so alluring and he could see the desire in her eyes.

Before he could process it, she leaned forward and kissed him, tentatively at first, but he quickly opened his mouth to hers. Her tongue found his and she threaded her fingers through his hair. He pulled her to him quickly, wrapping his arms around her as the intensity of their kiss nearly became too much for him to bear. His lips left hers to explore her neck and she moaned quietly. He could feel her heart pumping the blood through her arteries and the pulse in her neck. He ignored the vampire raging within him and returned to her lips. The taste of her left him intoxicated and he wanted more. She climbed into his lap and moved her hands from his hair to around his neck. She kissed him until her lungs begged her for oxygen and she released his lips.

"Elena…" He couldn't believe the words that were about to come out of his mouth. "I think I should take you home."

She stared at him, not quite comprehending what he just said. "What?"

"I don't want things to get out of hand…" He trailed off and ran a hand through his hair, the other still grasped Elena's waist.

"Alight." She stood quickly and walked towards her purse.

She was hurt. "Fuck." He cursed at himself. "Elena, wait."

"No, Damon, you're right." She stood there awkwardly, mentally lecturing herself for practically forcing herself onto him.

Damon stood and attempted to pick the right words. Instead of speaking, he just walked toward her and kissed her tenderly. "Elena, there's nothing I want more than to go into my bedroom and continue where we left off." As he spoke he followed his jaw with his index finger. "But I want to take things slowly with you. I want to date you and get to know you." He kissed her again.

Elena relaxed once she realized the reason for his rejection. "I want to date you and get to know you too."

"Good. I'm sure you're aunt will be happy you're home before six." He smirked at her.

When they reached her house, he walked her up to her door, surprising her. "Thank you, Elena, for such a pleasant evening." He smirked as he kissed her goodnight. While he said it with heavy sarcasm, he was serious. He quickly walked back to his car, and settled into his leather seats. He put the car into drive and headed out for a long drive, not yet ready to return to the boarding house. He loved spending time with her, but he was in pain. His humanity was rusty and he could only stand to feel a full range of emotions for short periods of time.

Elena walked into her house as quietly as possible to avoid waking anyone. She climbed into bed and sighed, truly happy for the first time in a long time.

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**_Author's Note:_** So, what do you guys think? I'm sorry about the lack of lemons, but they are coming, I promise. I just couldn't picture Elena having sex on a first date and I wanted Damon to be the gentleman we all know is in there somewhere, even though he doesn't like it. Please be so kind and review! Thank you to IkeaGoddess, LovexAndXFate, and AzureRoseSky for the reviews! Keep them coming guys! The next update will be in the past, but then we're going to go back to the future (hehe). There's still a menace threatening our young lovers' lives don't forget that! See you guys next chapter!


	8. The First Time

**_In the past, like I promised. Be sure to read my note at the end, it's important! And as always, please review. I've loved getting them, and they are amazing. So thank you!_**

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The knock at the door surprised Elena. Although it was only the afternoon, her heart beat faster as she walked to the door. Mystic Falls was a safe town, but it still made her nervous to answer the door while she was alone in her house. She looked through the peephole before opening the door quickly. "Damon. Hey."

"Hey. Do you have plans for today?" He could tell by her eyes that she was happy to see him and he caught himself hiding a grin.

"No. Do you want to come in?" She opened the door wider and stepped back.

Damon ran a hand through his hair and crossed the threshold. "I realized that I never asked for your phone number. So I figured I'd just show up at your door instead."

As he smirked at her, Elena realized that she found his subtle arrogance attractive and his cocky, self-assured smile made her weak in the knees. "I'm glad you did. I've been home alone all day. It gets boring." She turned to walk towards the living room, but Damon grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.

Before she could say anything, he kissed her, and placed her arm around him. He could tell she was surprised, but she opened her mouth to his and his tongue met hers. Damon lost himself in her scent and nearly lost all control when he found himself up pushed against her front door. She pressed herself into him and left his lips to explore his neck. Damon closed his eyes, attempting to ignore his fangs' proximity to her exposed neck. He tangled his fingers into her hair and forced her lips back to his. She whimpered nearly inaudibly, and Damon pulled her head back to look at her face. Her desire filled her eyes and the human within him who wanted to take things slowly lost to the vampire who wanted to claim this woman.

He pulled her back to him and she sensed the change within him. His kisses carried more intensity. He kissed her roughly and his hands moved from her hair to her chest. She moaned and moved her hands to the buttons on his shirt. She began unbuttoning it quickly, and once done, she let it drop to the floor. Damon removed his hands as she pulled off her own shirt. She pressed her body on his once more, relishing the warmth of skin on skin contact. She hooked her leg around his but he picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he began kissing her chest. Her head fell back and she moaned again.

"Elena, where's your room?" Although he knew where it was, he didn't want to cause her to ask any questions if he could walk directly up the stairs to her bedroom that he'd supposedly never seen.

"Up the stairs. On the right. Second door." She panted as he continued to kiss her chest through her bra.

He swung her legs so he was carrying her and she giggled in surprise. He sped up the stairs at slightly faster than human pace and set her on the bed. He turned to shut the door and she pulled off her pants. He returned and hovered over her. "Are you sure you want this?"

She looked up at him and met his gaze. "I want you, Damon."

With that, Damon's lips came crashing down onto hers. He reached around her and unhooked her bra with one hand, flinging it across the room. He placed his hand on her soft breast and began gently pulling on her nipple with his fingertips. She moaned as he used his other hand to massage her clit through her lace underwear. She moved her hands to remove his pants but he swatted her hand away.

"Not yet." Damon wanted to take his time with her. He wasn't sure if she had been with anyone else, but he knew he could and would give her the best sex she'd ever had. Repeatedly, if she'd let him. He kept rubbing in circles until he could feel her wetness through the lace.

Elena surprised him by changing their positions to be on top of him. She unbuttoned and pulled off his jeans despite his earlier protests. She kissed his chest hungrily, moving down slowly until her lips met the edge of his boxers. She moved to his thigh, dangerously close to his erection, and sucked on the sensitive skin there.

Damon growled and moved so that she was under him again. He pulled off his boxers and looked into her eyes for any signs of hesitation. Seeing none, he ripped off her underwear and entered her. She moaned and brought her legs around his waist, pulling him into her, aiding his thrusts. Damon began thrusting faster and she dragged her nails across his back. They moved together in perfect rhythm and he kissed her sloppily. She felt herself nearing the edge. "Oh… Damon…" She began whimpering his name repeatedly as he brought her to orgasm.

He continued thrusting into her. Elena pushed him over to be on top, and leaned back as she moved up and down his shaft. Damon began massaging her breasts with one hand and her clit with the other and Elena moved faster. Her head fell back and she closed her eyes and the sweat beaded upon her brow as she exerted herself to pleasure them both. Her walls squeezed against him and Damon groaned as they both reached orgasm. Elena's cries of pleasure grew louder as he held onto her and they both crashed together.

Elena moved to lie on her bed, panting as her heart attempted to return to its natural pace. Damon smirked at her and kissed her temple. "You're so beautiful, Elena." His eyes greedily took in her still naked body.

"Thank you." They continued laying there together in silence until Damon grabbed his jeans from the floor and pulled a small box from his pocket.

"I actually came over to give you something. Besides an orgasm or two." He smirked at her and she giggled. "I don't know if now's the best time, but I saw it and it made me think of you."

Elena took the black box and opened it carefully. "Damon, wow. This is so amazing. Where did you find this?" Elena pulled the necklace from the box. It was a delicate yet heavy star locket decorated with an elaborate swirl and knot design. "What's in it? Jasmine?"

"Something like that. Turn around; let me put it on you." Damon took the necklace and gently fasted the clasp so that it hung from her neck. "I wanted you to always have something of the stars you seemed to love so much. Will you wear it for me?"

"Of course. I won't ever take it off." Elena looked at it and smiled before kissing him on the lips. "Thank you. I love it. It'll remind me of our first date."

"Perfect. That's what I hoped." He kissed her again.

"Do you want to have dinner with my family tonight?" She asked the question hesitantly. She knew he wanted her for more than just sex, but she wasn't sure where exactly their relationship was headed.

"I would love to. I should probably get dressed before I head downstairs, though. I'd rather be clothed for the occasion." He laughed as he stood up to pull on his pants.

"Yeah, good idea. I should take a shower…" She trailed off and bit her lip.

"Great idea. Where's the bathroom?" Damon grinned as her eyes widened. He laughed as she searched for words.

"No way mister. Shower time is me time. Can you come back around seven?" She got up from the bed and stood facing him.

Damon stared at her, enjoying how her hair just barely covered her chest. "I hope I can change your mind about that someday." He kissed her before heading towards the door. "You have an hour. I'm coming back at six."

"Ok. I'll hurry." She smiled at him, and turned to walk to the bathroom.

Damon left her room and walked down the stairs, picking up his shirt from the ground and putting it on before he left. He got in his car and tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. "To shower, or hunt…" He weighed the options in his head before heading back to the boarding house. He wanted to look presentable to meet her aunt and brother, and he didn't want to risk getting blood on his clothes.

As Damon returned to the boarding house, his thoughts drifted back to the night before, and then to that morning before he left to see Elena.

After their date he had driven to the waterfalls and sat in his car for a long time, agonizing over the way he felt about her. Of course he wanted to drink her blood, but more than just to fulfill his animalistic needs, he wanted to just be with her. He didn't want to kill her; the thought of her death at his hands caused him to emit an angry wail. He slammed his fists against the steering wheel in frustration. He didn't want to compel her either. For the first time in 145 years, Damon wanted a real, _human_, relationship. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stretched across the long front seat, placing his hands across his stomach. He finally decided to return home and dig up one of his mother's necklaces imported from Ireland. He had entered the attic and found the old trunk with his mother's initials. He opened the chest carefully, and picked up the small blue velvet box containing the star necklace. He then pulled off his shirt and used it as a glove, picking up the small sprig of vervain and placing it inside the locket. Satisfied, he left the attic and entered his room. He used a small, plain black box and placed the necklace inside to give to her later. Utterly pleased with himself, he crawled into bed, and slept.

When he awoke, he stood and paced the length of his room. He wanted to see her. She had practically thrown herself on him and he regretting refusing her. He wanted her. Badly. "What the hell?" He shouted in his room and pulled his fist back to punch the wall. Controlling himself, he stopped, and ran down the stairs with vampire speed to the freezer in the basement. Grabbing blood bags, he drank until he felt the vampire within him retreating. Convincing himself that he had waited long enough, he set out for her house.

After a quick shower, he was done reminiscing, determined to have a normal evening with the woman he found himself unable to be without.

Jenna pushed on the front door, overcoming the resistance against it. She looked down to find what was in the way and picked up the small piece of cloth. "Elena, what the hell is your shirt doing by the front door?"

Elena ran down the stairs from her room to retrieve her t-shirt. "I… uh..." She searched her head for something plausible. Finding nothing to say, she decided to change the subject. "Can Damon come over for dinner? Technically I already asked him, but is that ok?"

"I knew he had something to do with it. Next time, make sure to pick up your clothes. It saves the awkward questions." Jenna's eyes widened. "Hey! Was that your first time?"

"Jenna! We are not talking about this!" Elena's face turned a deep crimson.

"Uh-huh. Some day we are, young lady. You know I'll get it out of you eventually. Yes, he can come over for dinner. But he's not staying the night. I think one sexcapade for the day is enough, don't you?" Jenna walked toward the kitchen.

"Technically, it would only be one. The other would be at night." Elena followed her aunt.

Jenna laughed. "I guess you're right. But the rule still stands. Make the salad will you? What time will he be here?"

"Six. So in a few minutes." Elena bent to get the salad from the grocery bags on the floor and her necklace dangled in front of her.

"Whoa, what is that?" Jenna pointed to the necklace.

"He, um, gave it to me." Elena stood and began throwing lettuce into the bowl, hiding her face from her aunt.

"If this guy hurts you, I swear I will kick his ass." Jenna shook her head, not sure how to respond.

The doorbell rang, and Elena smiled at her aunt, clearly happy. She opened the door and Damon kissed her hello. "Hi." Her eyes lit up as she looked up into his eyes. He looked the same, but had changed into a black t-shirt instead of a button-up.

"God, you smell amazing." He kissed her again and followed her to the kitchen.

"Aunt Jenna, this is Damon. Damon, Jenna." She introduced them nervously.

"It's nice to meet you, Jenna. Thanks for letting me come over on such short notice." He used all of his charm and conjured up a smooth, self-assured smile.

"No problem." Jenna turned to the cutting board and began preparing for the rest of the meal.

Damon managed to charm both Jenna and Jeremy, and Elena was impressed at how he seemed at ease. He listened intently as Jenna talked about her doctorate and told Jeremy he'd like to see his art sometime. Elena was thrilled at how easily he took to her family and how he implied a future with both them and her. She found herself constantly smiling. As the evening came to a close, she walked Damon to the door. She closed it so they were both outside, and leaned against it. "Thank you."

"For what?" Her gratitude surprised him.

"For meeting my family. And for being so," she lifted her finger to trace his jaw, "charming."

He placed one hand on the door by hear head and bent down to kiss her. "You're welcome. When can I see you again? Tomorrow?"

She laughed at his persistence. "Ok. Text me before you come over this time. I put my number in your phone."

"Perfect." He kissed her again and walked to his car. As he drove off, Damon was surprised at how much better he felt. "This human crap is getting easier every day." He muttered to himself, and headed back to the boarding house. If he wanted to haunt her dreams, it would be easier to return on foot.

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**_Author's Note: _**Ok, So I've decided to let the next chapter be up to you guys. Eventually, the two story lines will merge. If not the next chapter, the one after that. Or they will at least be headed in that direction. **_So my question is: _**Do you want something hot and steamy for the next chapter where Damon haunts her dreams? Or do you want to find out more about their life on the run etc in the next chapter? I promise there will be smut in both, so don't worry about that. But, I've decided to let you guys pick. Thanks to KB22, Txmissb, Babi, LovexAndxFate, IkeaGoddess, AzureRoseSky, and toffeenutlatte for the reviews! That's the most reviews I've gotten for a chapter and you can't believe how happy they made me! Please keep it up guys! And thanks also to all the people who favorited/added it to their alerts! Also, I didn't want this chapter to be over the top with the lemons since it was their first time. We've got to be at least a little realistic, you know? See you guys next chapter!

**_Review Review Review :) And tell me what you want next time!_**


	9. A New Corpse

**_Back on the run. But don't worry, everyone wins with this chapter. :)_**

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They had been in the hotel for three weeks. Elena could tell that Damon was getting restless, but she wasn't sure exactly what they should do. She knew he was trying to come up with a plan, but so far he hadn't thought of anything that would place them a step ahead.

He left to hunt each night to hunt because he had refused to drink her blood since they morning after they arrived, claiming it was too dangerous to leave her in a weakened state. She hadn't argued, knowing that once he made up his mind it would be impossible to change it. But she missed it. She missed how close they felt when they shared blood, the most intimate of gestures. More intimate than sex even. She sighed and looked at the clock. The red numbers pierced her eyes and she tried not to worry about the lateness of the hour. Damon usually returned around three, which meant she still had over an hour to wait. Too tired to stay awake, she climbed into the bed, and fell asleep.

Damon returned to the hotel at four thirty in the morning. He felt guilty as he snuck into their room and tread carefully so as to not wake her. He looked at her as she slept in awe. Never had anyone loved him as fiercely as she did and she didn't voice one word against his hunting methods, although he knew she disapproved. He knew she'd rather give him everything he needed, but he refused to take the risk.

She turned in her sleep and the covers fell back to reveal the top of her breasts and her necklace dangling between them. He inhaled sharply and then smiled as a wicked thought entered his head. He stealthily reached over and unclasped her necklace. He placed it beside her and slowly mingled his thoughts with hers before taking over her dreams completely.

They were naked and sweaty on his floor and Elena's body glistened delectably. She had healing bite marks all over her body and she looked at him expectantly for more. He took her wrist and licked it, sending shivers down her spine. He traced her vein up her arm and Elena felt as if her whole body was on fire. Every single emotion and touch was intensified and her body told her one thing: she wanted this man.

He began sucking on the skin softly and Elena closed her eyes, waiting for the moment when he would enter her. She relished the feeling of his lips on her arm and she could feel the slight variations in the texture of the skin on his lips. He elongated his fangs slowly and gently dragged the sharp tips across her flesh. He felt rather than heard her moan. He continued teasing her with his teeth, alternating between brushing them against her to barely penetrating her wrist. This time she moaned aloud and Damon smiled into her, piercing he skin slightly. She began panting and her heart beat wildly as she waited for him to drink from her. He began dragging his fangs along her skin harder, drawing blood. He lapped up the few drops and Elena cried out in anticipation. She wrapped her other hand into his hair and pulled, begging for release. Damon complied and plunged his fangs into her and she cried out in pleasure.

As she felt her blood leave her body, she sensed Damon's love and devotion entering it. She moaned as he continued drinking her blood and Damon guided her thoughts to focus solely on the intense feeling of pleasure flowing through her. She felt him moving within her and her nerves were on edge. They were joined together completely and Elena opened herself to be filled wholly and completely. He drank from her more deeply and she cried out in gasping, jagged, screams.

He slowed his gulps, dragging out her bliss until she fell apart. Her fingers tightened their grip in his hair. She called his name repeatedly and the ten seconds of orgasm felt like minutes. Sated and exhausted, her eyes fluttered open.

Elena looked around the dark hotel room in shock, expecting to see Damon's room. She couldn't see anything, but she knew he was there. "Damon?"

He flicked on the side table light. "Is everything ok?"

Her eyes adjusted slowly but the moment the image of him sitting in the chair by the bed came clearly into focus, she glared at him. "I just dreamt about the most intense orgasm I've ever had. Would you have any part in that?" She had beads of sweat upon her brow and her skin had a beautiful pink glow.

"I hope you're not having sex dreams about anyone else." He smirked at her.

Her hand flew to her neck where it found her necklace. She continued glaring at him. "How did you do that?"

He was at her side faster than what her eyesight could see. "I know you miss me drinking from you. So I decided to give you the next best thing."

"But I was wearing my necklace…" She stared at him, confused.

"I took it off." He looked down, hiding the guilty expression on his face.

She rolled her eyes but cuddled up to him. "Next time ask me, ok? You know I'll let you in."

"I will, I promise." He kissed her and pulled her to him so they could both fall asleep.

In the morning, they both woke up to a sharp rapping on the door. "Stay here." Damon ordered her and walked to the door.

Elena sat up, pulling the covers around her to hide her unclothed body. Damon opened the door and Elena screamed. The hotel clerk was staked to the door in his heart and through his head. Fresh blood dripped down from his wounds and already there was a puddle of blood on the floor. The blood oozed down his face, distorting his features. His clothes were torn and ragged and it looked like he had been tortured first. Damon quickly took the body down from the door and dragged it and the note inside.

Elena couldn't stop screaming. The dead man's eyes stared at her and she screamed until her face turned white. Damon ran to her and tried to comfort her, but she couldn't look away from the lifeless eyes.

"Elena! You have to stop screaming." He started shaking her in a panic.

She stopped but she looked at Damon with unseeing eyes.

"Elena. Elena. Elena!" Damon shouted at her, terrified more of her reaction than the meaning behind the dead man in the room.

"Read the note." Her voice sounded lifeless, but he complied.

It was written in blood with what looked like a calligraphy pen. He read it slowly. "Let the chase begin."

"Damon, what are we going to do? She found us. She killed someone. Damon?" She looked up at him questioningly and her entire body shook.

"We have to go, Elena. Get your things. I'm going to steal someone's car, ok?" He began throwing his clothes into his bag.

She nodded slowly but remained sitting on the bed in shock. He quickly packed all of their things and returned to her. He bent down so his eyes were on level with hers. "Elena?" She looked at him but didn't say anything. "I'm going to pick you up and take you to the parking lot, ok?" She nodded.

He picked her up and ran to the parking lot. He quickly compelled a man in an SUV to give him his keys and he set Elena in the passenger's seat. Before she realized he was gone he came back with the things from the rental car and placed them all in the back seat. He got in and started driving.

As night fell, they reached the Arizona desert. Damon glanced over at Elena periodically and each time she was in the same position: body facing forward and eyes looking straight ahead. She hadn't said anything after she asked him what they were going to do and Damon was beginning to worry.

Just as they were passing the next mile marker, she spoke. "Pull over."

Damon veered the car off the road and Elena flew out of the vehicle. She doubled over and Damon heard her vomit repeatedly. He got out of the car and walked to the other side, standing a few feet from her. "Elena?" He said her name hesitantly, so quiet it was almost a whisper.

"I'm fine now." She started walking towards him, but stumbled. He was at her side before she fell and he held her up against him.

He felt utterly helpless as he helped her get back in the car. "Are you going to throw up again?"

She shook her head. He climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. He drove for a few minutes in silence before looking at her. "Elena, you have to talk to me."

"I can't, Damon." She looked down and stared at her hands. The words sounded forced, as though it took all of her strength for her to speak them.

"You're scaring me." His eyes faced the road and he hated the level of hear that crept into his voice.

"I woke up this morning to a dead man nailed onto my door. He stared at me, blaming me for his death." If Damon didn't have vampire hearing, he doubted he'd be able to hear her.

"I can make you forget. If you want." His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, draining the color from his knuckles.

"That's just it, Damon. I forgot. I forgot why we were staying in that hotel in the first place. I forgot that some psychotic bitch is trying to kill me. I acted like we were on some romantic getaway. She could have killed me this morning. She could have killed both of us." She tried to hold back her tears, but they began to slowly travel down her face.

Damon pulled the car over again and unbuckled their seatbelts so he could pull her into his arms. He let her cry into his shoulder and only spoke once she was finished. "Elena, I promise you that I won't let anything happen to you, even if it means I die protecting you."

"That's not good enough." She pulled away from him. His anguish shattered her control and the tears slid down her face once more. "I can't live without you. You have to promise me that you'll live. If you die I'd rather be dead."

"Elena, don't talk like this." He stared into her eyes.

"Don't you dare try to compel me, Damon Salvatore." Her face flushed red with anger and Damon sighed in disappointment.

"I'm not going to, Elena. And you're wearing your necklace." He put the car in drive. "Let's just go, ok? I have another hotel in mind; one that I haven't stayed at in over 80 years. We'll be safe there."

"How do you know it's still there after 80 years?" She crossed her arms.

"Because the owner is a vampire." Damon didn't elaborate and they drove into the night in silence.

* * *

**_Author's Note: _**So, our couple had their first fight. But I think it's only fitting. And we all know how Elena reacts to stressful situations. Any guesses to who the vampire is who owns the hotel? It's some one we know from the show, but who I haven't mentioned in the story. Please **_Review. _**They are always lovely to read. Special thanks to Babi, Txmissb, IkeaGoddess, AzureRoseSky, toffeenutlatte, and LovexAndxFate for the reviews!

Also, I started on a new story. Here's the link and the summary if you're interested. I'd love it if you guys gave it a shot.

**_Summary:_**England. 11th century. Vampire clans are feuding and human Elena is the heir to the throne, protected by her vampire guardian and secret lover, Damon. M for smut, violence, and witchcraft. /6512157/1/ Just put the number in your browser. :)


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